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June 12, l999
Last Wednesday evening thirteen disciples concluded their 33 weeks of Wednesday meetings for strengthening their faith through in depth bible study. As part of winding up our study, we looked at some of the first century offices of the church as noted by Paul in l Corinthians l2:28-3l. Some of the offices of the first century church sounded quite contemporary: persons gifted to be teachers, church helpers, and administrators. But other ministries named by Paul had a traditional and almost archaic sound to them: jobs such as prophets, and miracle workers, and the one which Paul puts at the top of his list: apostles.
The study book helped us demystify the meaning of apostles by this straightforward definition: "Apostles exercise general oversight and leadership in the church. A person called to apostolic ministry shows signs of spiritual power to lead others to Christ, to encourage, and to build up others in faith and love. Pastors are apostles ordained to preach the word, maintain order, and administer the sacraments. Lay persons are equally called to apostolic ministry." It sounds to me very much like apostles are what we call church elders although Community Church as yet has not adopted that title for our more mature spiritual leaders.
I didn't hear anyone from our disciple group volunteer to be an apostle, though fingers pointed to me as an apostle, I suppose by virtue of being an ordained elder. Secretly, I yearned for someone to suggest that I might be "a miracle worker." (Actually when I look at the list of fourteen qualities which you will be asked to rate later in the service, it seems to me that anyone who could measure up to even half those wonderful qualities would be, in truth, "a miracle worker!"
Let me give some early church and New Testament background on this office of apostle. There were twelve apostles, all called by Jesus. The twelve are named in our Gospel text of today and elsewhere; they are always twelve though the list of the twelve varies slightly. Paul became the thirteenth apostle when the Risen, not earthly, Christ called him to witness for him. These thirteen were chosen by Christ to represent him and with the single exception of Paul they had all known intimately the earthly Jesus. They were first hand witnesses about Jesus as the Christ.
There is no scriptural evidence that the original l3 apostles ever formally designated anyone as their successors. When Judas was replaced to keep the apostles at the symbolic number of l2 (symbolic for the l2 tribes of Israel) the only reason stated for his selection was that he had known Jesus. There was no apostolic succession. The apostolic era lingered on at least one more generation after the last of the l3 apostles died so long as there were persons alive in the churches who personally had known one or more of the original l3 apostles. But by about the year l50 AD the name of apostle ceases to circulate in the church; it is replaced by other offices like elders and deacons and a bit later bishops.
Much, much later, perhaps in the fifth or sixth generation after the original apostles, the spiritual leaders of the church in Rome developed the claim that the Apostle Peter had passed all apostolic authority onto his successor in the Roman congregation. That leader eventually assumed the title bishop of Rome. And later the broader title of Pope of the Church in the West.
At the Protestant Reformation in the l6th Century most Protestants, led by the thinking of Luther and Calvin, re-asserted that apostolic authority did not pass to any one person or persons; rather apostolic authority was transmitted through the apostolic writings attributed to Paul and Peter and other apostles. Apostolic authority thereby became defined as evangelical rather than hierarchical. Anyone might claim to be an apostle of Jesus Christ who can speak personally and with authority of his or her salvation through faith and grace and who is called by the Holy Spirit and with right understanding of the scriptures to lead others to accept Christ.
The name apostle derives from the Greek word meaning TO BE SENT OUT. The very first apostle was Jesus himself who was sent out by God. Jesus called twelve men to witness for him, he sent them out to others. Their witness was recorded in the scriptures and apostolic ministry became open to anyone with the spiritual power to lead others to Christ, to encourage, and to build up others in faith and love.
There are difficulties, which unless overcome, could keep modern disciples from entertaining the possibility that they are called by the Holy Spirit to be apostles. A major difficulty is what, according to Matthew 9, Jesus called the original apostles to do for him. 9: They were sent by Jesus on a fourfold mission: "cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons." That is a tall order for Hong Kong Christians who tend to leave curing the sick to doctors (who may in truth be apostles as is the case with our Dr. T.Y. Ng); as for raising the dead, it is little done; and lepers and demons are not easily found, especially in our social circles!
Someone among the disciples last Wednesday, in identifying yours truly as an apostle, added this contemporary comment in writing: "You are an apostle because you are a good commentator on movies." Well, new times teach new understanding of apostleship. Soooooooooooo:
Last year there was a brilliant film produced and directed by Robert Duvall who also starred in the film which is called THE APOSTLE. Duvall plays a 20th century fundamentalist charismatic evangelist named "Sonny" who, as it turns out, is also guilty of manslaughter, having killed his wife's lover in a rage. The opening scene shows Sonny ministering to accident victims along the highway. The final scene shows Sony preaching along a highway to a prison road-gang of which he is a member. In between, one fascinating scene after another unfolds the tumultuous life of this gifted, emotional preacher who appears to be sent by God to reach lost souls. He pours all of his energy into preaching and singing and praying for the Lord. All of his conversations are peppered with "Jesus" talk. Being an apostle like Sonny is not easy and it is not appealing to most Christians.
We should not get hung up over dramatic and unrealistic images of apostleship. The truth is we do not know to what degree and in what ways the original apostles accomplished the fourfold goal tasks Jesus asked of them. We do know they tried and their success is evidenced in the growth of the church.
The need for modern apostles to witness to the power of Christ, is as great today as in the first century. The times are as pagan now and then, and apostles are called, in Jesus phrase, to be both cunning and innocent, and the office of apostle is shared among diverse persons. Even fundamentalist Sonny in the movie recognised the function of diversity in witnessing, for in one scene he notices Catholic priests sprinkling holy water on boats in the harbor - this is something quite different from anything Sonny would do - and he muses to himself, "your way, my way…together we get it done." (That sounds like an equally good attitude on the part of the NATO countries having to deal this weekend with the surprising presence of the Russian troops in Kosovo. One way or another, let us hope together they get it done!)
What are apostles supposed to get done. According to Paul, apostle is called and sent by Jesus through the confirmation of the Holy Spirit to proclaim in word and deed that "WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.' (Romans 5:l)
As apostles, what are the strategic options that lie before us. Well, we work them out according to our style of evangelism and there are three options: Hard sell, soft sell, and life style sale.
Hard sell means functioning like Sonny, talking excitedly about Jesus most of the time. Soft sell is a calmer approach noted by a milder witness offered every once in a while. Life style sale means there is no sell in sense of talking about your faith. Rather the Christian apostle ties to demonstrate a Christian life-style through sacrificial actions. And there is nothing inferior in apostleship which witnesses through life-style. Mother Teresa of Calcutta seldom did any direct evangelising; she couldn't in Hindu Calcutta evangelize like a Sonny in the film. Rather she and her sisters lived a sacrificial life of love which informed those who knew her for whom she was witnessing.
Most of us apostles in Community Church will recognise that we are called to witness in ways that may include all three traditions, though most likely some combination of the second and third will be the main form our apostleship takes. But while we may prefer witnessing to our faith through acting it out, we are also called to witness out loud to our faith at some strategic moments.
Reading on in Matthew 9 we can deduce some practical guidelines for our apostolic witness. Jesus told his friends to GO TO THE LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL. I interpret this as a strategic order from Jesus, and not an exclusive one. Jesus could not have been excluding non-Jews from his concern because in other contexts he showed intensely personal commitment to non-orthodox Jews like the Samaritans. Rather Jesus was advising, as a strategy, that apostles work, normally, with those closest and nearest to them. Not always, of course, or the historic missionary movement would have had no reason for existence.
That translates for our apostleship this way: I say to you in the name of Jesus go to persons in your families and your apartment complex and your places of work. First witness in act and, when possible, in word to those who live around yout. Jesus said: PROCLAIM GOOD NEWS - THE KINGDOM IS NEAR. Let others know that God's kingdom is near through your words and your life. Care for your neighbours in Jesus' name and the kingdom will begin to come upon them. They will know you are Christian by your love and deeds, and many will inquire about the Christ you follow.
Jesus said, CURE, RAISE THE DEAD, CLEANSE, CAST OUR DEMONS. I say to you: don't shirk from this tall order; go right over to the conflicted family in your apartment building, or to the visibly troubled person in your office, and become a healing influence in their lives. Through your presence and your witness those who are dead in spirit and relationship can have new life and rise.
If you want further guidance on how to serve as an apostle, continue to read the remainder of chapter 9 where Jesus gives more guidance.
Last week I met Margie Kinsella who is an apostle in the Protestant understanding of apostleship. She is witnessing Christ to the Jews. Her ministry is to pray for peace in Israel, reconciliation between Jews and Arabs, and intercessory prayer that Jews will come to understand that Jesus is their Messiah too, a Jewish Messiah. She operates somewhat as a prophet, too, but these roles of apostle, prophet, teacher, healer, helper often overlap. We humans may make greater distinctions of the gifts than does the Holy Spirit. I like to introduce Margie because she represents how democratic apostleship is: she is a woman, she is not ordained, she is not financially sponsored by any church or denomination, yet she is a witness to Christ and with persons and with concerns that the main church ignores. God bless you, Margie, in your apostleship.
For those who are completely committed to Christ there is no greater duty, nor greater thrill, than taking up the cross of apostleship and going simply, sincerely, shrewdly, strategically to our friends, neighbors and, on occasion, to strangers near and far off to witness that we are sent by Christ to them. God grant that apostles will arise and flourish in our congregation. May the Spirit in the years ahead lead us often to say: There is an apostle among us! Here is another. And there are even more apostles!
And now we are going to recognize our disciples among whom are certainly church helpers, administrators, and teachers, and there may even be a couple of apostles among them. (The sermon was followed with presentation of certificates and DISCIPLE lapel pins to the twelve disciples who completed the program known as DISCIPLE).
Pastor Gene Preston
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The Rev. Gene R.Preston14th Floor, Blk 36, Lower Baguio Villa Tel : 25516161 Fax: 25512114E-mail : gpreston@netvigator.com |
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